2 January 2008 - Global demand for thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) is forecast to increase 6.3% per year through 2011 to 3.7 million metric tonnes.
This is according to the World Thermoplastic Elastomers study from Cleveland-based research firm The Freedonia Group.
It forecasts that China will expand its share of the world market from under 30% in 2006 to over 33% in 2011. But it added that the US will remain the world s largest manufacturer of some products such as olefinic based TPEs.
TPEs will continue to find the majority of their use as replacements for natural and synthetic rubber, as well as for rigid thermoplastics and metals.
China's TPE market is forecast to diversify rapidly but global TPE sales will remain concentrated in the developed markets of the US, Western Europe and Japan.
This will particularly be the case for higher performance materials such as as copolyester elastomers (COPEs) and thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs).
However, growth prospects through 2011 will be strongest in developing countries. Most developing markets have initially focused on low-cost styrenic block copolymers (SBCs).
But some markets, such as in China, are also significantly diversifying into compounded thermoplastic polyolefins (TPOs) and thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs).
This is according to the World Thermoplastic Elastomers study from Cleveland-based research firm The Freedonia Group.
It forecasts that China will expand its share of the world market from under 30% in 2006 to over 33% in 2011. But it added that the US will remain the world s largest manufacturer of some products such as olefinic based TPEs.
TPEs will continue to find the majority of their use as replacements for natural and synthetic rubber, as well as for rigid thermoplastics and metals.
China's TPE market is forecast to diversify rapidly but global TPE sales will remain concentrated in the developed markets of the US, Western Europe and Japan.
This will particularly be the case for higher performance materials such as as copolyester elastomers (COPEs) and thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs).
However, growth prospects through 2011 will be strongest in developing countries. Most developing markets have initially focused on low-cost styrenic block copolymers (SBCs).
But some markets, such as in China, are also significantly diversifying into compounded thermoplastic polyolefins (TPOs) and thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs).
